Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / April 16, 1992, edition 1 / Page 64
Part of The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
RACCOONS KEEP ANIMAL CONTROL BUSY Spring Cleaning May Include Battle With Intruders BY TERRY TOPE When property owners re turn to their Brunswick County beach homes in the spring, they often come face to face with unwelcome intruders ? raccoons. Sometimes residents may not know the animals are there until they hear strange noises in their homes at night. "Raccoons can do a lot of damage to their homes," said Robert Gris sett, Brunswick County Animal Control officer. "It's real frightening when people hear movement in their walls." Raccoons are noted by their gray bodies, blackened eyes and bushy, ringed tails. They feed on small ani mals, fruits and nuts and live mostly in trees. But in the winter months, when many island cottages are vacant, rac coons seek shelter in the homes for warmth and a place to raise their young. They can climb through the smallest opening to settle in attics, crawl spaces or heat vents. It is usually a shock for the prop erty owner. Often, they have no idea such wild animals exist on the is lands. "They come down for their vaca tion in the summer," said Dec Lee, Brunswick County Animal Control clerk, "and they've got a new addi tion to the family." Brunswick County Animal Control officers will set traps to help catch the animals. Property owners are not advised to try catching rac coons on their own. Sometimes an animal's willing ness to invade a man's home could Cf tC .!( 3tite%ici%3 ?Traditional & Contemporary Furnishings ?Exguisite & Unusual Accessories ?Custom Window Treatments & Blinds ?Custom Upholstery Service ?Floor Coverings ?Wallpaper ?Sealy Bedding ?Designer Consultations House Packages Available I j|| 1-4 Bedrooms Your Area Sealy Posturepedic Dealer Hwy. 1 7, Little River, SC OPEN: Monday-Saturday 9-5:30 800-676-9819 ? 803-249-2889 ?1992 THE BRUNSWICK be a sign that they may be sick with distemper or rabies, said Grissett. If property owners sec the ani mals out in their yards, especially during the day, they should not ap proach them, he said. Raccoons are nocturnal animals and mostly come out at night. "It could be carrying rabies," said Grissett. "All of the ones that have shown the symptoms, we've taken to be tested." So far, rabies has not been found in Brunswick County. Persons should still have all pets vaccinated against the disease. Usually, the raccoons are simply seeking shelter from the cold and a safe place to have babies. The adja cent island marshland is a perfect breeding ground for animals, partic ularly raccoons, said Grissett. April is usually animal control's busiest month for phone calls from surprised property owners along the Brunswick County beaches. But the only way to catch the animals is by setting traps, said Grissett, which may take patience and time. Often, an opossum may be caught instead. Opossums have also been known to inhabit beach cottages for the same reason, to keep warm. They are white animals with a narrow tail and are marsupials, which means they carry their young in a pouch on the abdomen. Another sign that raccoons are about is overturned trash containers. Grissett said some varieties of rac coons found on Holden Beach have weighed up to 25 pounds. In one case last year, a Holden Beach property owner hoarded up a hole where he thought a raccoon was entering his home. The next day, the hoard had been removed. "Some of them arc very strong animals," said Grissett. "We later found out that she had babies in the house, and she was determined to get back inside." Captured raccoons are taken to the animal shelter in Supply for ob servation, to determine if they are healthy, said Ms. Lee. Children should be told to avoid touching the animals if they are spotted near a home. "To a kid, they'll think that it's just a friendly animal," said Ms. Lee. If the animals show no signs of sickness, they are released into the woods outside of the animal shelter, to return to their natural habitat once again. The shelter is not close to any homes on N.C. 21 1 at Supply. Officers say, in the past, they have received the most raccoon com plaints from Oak Island and Holden Beach. They have also been called to remove squirrels and snakes from homes. A local exterminator is called to remove the snakes, said Ms. Lee. -v. M-i tNTERNATJONAL Official Spontof of the 1992 U.S Otyn^jtc Team When the best is all that counts Sometimes second place just isn't good enough. Athletes understand that. So does York". So when you need to replace your heat pump, make it a York Stellar 2000". We'll keep you cool and comfortable on hot and humid days, and cozy all winter long. York. A world leader in heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technologies. Why settle for anything less? ? Expert installation ? Ixjwer operating costs ? Reliability, well into the 21st century mom Heating and Air Conditioning FREE 5-YEAR PARTS WARRANTY SANDS HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING for an estimate.... 579-1380 or 842-6209
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 16, 1992, edition 1
64
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75